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Yahoo Inc. said Wednesday it dropped plans to use Mexico’s Teotihuacan archaeological site for its much-hyped ”time capsule” project after authorities fearing damage to the ancient ruins denied them permission.

Yahoo launched the project this week aimed at gathering text, images, video and sounds submitted by visitors from all over the world through 20 of the company’s multi-language sites.

The information was to be beamed by laser into space on Oct. 25 from the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan, once the center of a sprawling pre-Hispanic empire, in an attempt to communicate with extraterrestrial life.

“We did have the permit, but Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History told us Monday night that it could not be done,” Manuel Mazzanti, head of marketing at Yahoo Mexico, said Wednesday.

An INAH spokesman said the Yahoo event posed technical and operational problems that might damage Teotihuacan. “We are the guardians of the heritage of Mexico,” the spokesman said.

Mexico is highly protective of its archaeological sites, many of which are subject to nonstop tourist traffic and are must-sees for dignitaries and artists from around the world.

Yahoo’s Mazzanti said the company was looking for another launch site for the event but had ruled out Mexico.